It is frequently desirable to place written information on the face of photographic prints. The back surfaces of photographic prints do not readily take ink and smear easily. Moreover, writing on the back surface of prints is not visible in albums. It is frequently desirable to record information on photoprints while memory of having taken the picture is still fresh. Many people do not place their prints in photo albums immediately and sometimes wait years before placing prints in albums. By that time, their memories have faded. Moreover, albums with clear plastic covers are difficult to write on so one must frequently write on the adhesive backing which retains the photoprints in place or on labels secured to plastic covers, neither of which is particularly satisfactory.
A good solution to the problem is to incorporate a narrow single white border approximately 3/8" in width along the bottom edge of the photoprints. This allows written information to appear on the face of the photoprint. Preferably the size of the photoprint should remain the same, and photoprint should be photofinisher transparent.
It is also desirable that the border be provided optionally, so as to be selectable by a user with only selected prints being provided with a border. For example, one might select only the initial print in a series so that the remaining prints each have the full width of a standard print.
The patent literature includes a number of references in which exposing the edge of a film frame to recorded data is disclosed. However, the concept of an operator-controlled, still camera system for selectively fogging the edge of an image to provide a space for writing thereon is not taught by the prior art.
Among the expired patents of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 1,777,904 to Tucker. Tucker discloses a system which allows an operator to write on the film negative while the negative is in the camera. This is accomplished by writing on a translucent or transparent surface through which the film edge is exposed to thereby imprint the written image on the negative as a band on the edge of a frame is exposed. Tucker does not teach how one would configure contemporary cameras to provide borders for photoprints made from negatives exposed in contemporary cameras.
Other expired patents include U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,718 to Oriol and U.S. Pat. No. 3,029,717 to Hildebrandt. Oriol discloses a system for fogging the edge of a film negative in a motion picture camera outside the image area. The disclosed approach is not readily adaptable to the structure of still cameras and does not provide the selectivity desirable in using a fogging techniques in a still camera. Hildebrandt utilizes fiber optics as a light source to expose the edge of a film frame as it is transported through a camera. In this system, however, the exposure occurs in the form of a dot code, in contrast to a band formed along the film edge by fogging or exposure
Recently issued patents also address the problem of marking filmstrips. U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,388 to Micak exposes the edge of a film frame using a method in which the camera operator controls the exposure which is in the form of data from a luminous data source. U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,372 to Lapeyre exposes the edge of a film as the film is transported with respect to an LED array to record data on the film, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,279 to Beddlestein et al. is representative of a relatively large number of devices which, through dual or single exposure, permit the combination of a photograph and identification data.
In view of the aforementioned prior art approaches, there is a need for methods of and apparatus for producing photoprints having borders upon which information can be readily written.